(Passage)

Relatively standardized software gives producers access to not only directly vetted tools, but a wider marketplace that makes it easy for third parties to buy and sell sounds and other services. Sounds.com uses a credits-based system to broker royalty-free loop sales. In 2021, the parent company (plugin maker Native Instruments) was valuable enough to attract leading equity firm Francisco Partners, now Sounds.com’s majority shareholder. Other platforms have ridden the rise of the subscription model over the last several years, like sound library and plugin distributor Splice, sample clearance site TrackLib, “inspiration machine” Arcade as developed by Output, and AI-based audio mastering and distribution service LANDR. As with other major producer-focused products, these four companies have attracted major attention translating into significant investments. With $20.9M to date, TrackLib counts Sony among its investors. Output and LANDR put together boast over $80M in funding. Splice, meanwhile, has raised around $159.7M in capital, from investors that include Goldman Sachs.